Union Minister and National Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said his sharing of dais with senior leaders of rival parties in recent days did not have any political meaning.

Pawar had shared the dias with Bharatiya Janata Party leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray last week during the Golden Jubilee of Geet Ramayan.

The NCP leader was addressing journalists after launching a daily newspaper for farmers by the Sakal group in Pune.

Pawar said the decision to seat the leaders together was taken by organisers as they felt it would revive the memories of their presence at the silver jubilee of the monumental masterpiece of G D Madgulkar 25 years ago.

The Union Agriculture Minister said the media should not read into Thackeray and Sena leader Raj Thackeray's recent statements that they are ready to work with him in the larger interests of Maharashtra.

The NCP leader is scheduled to release a book on the Sena chief in Pune on May 11.

At the function, Vajpayee had praised Pawar and said 'he (Pawar) is our future leader'.

Pawar said, "The strength of my party in both Houses totals up to 14. I am not a person to live in a fools' paradise by thinking that with this much strength I can head a government at the Centre."